Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 227 - 227 0204 As Long as Its Not a Heinous Crime_2

Chapter 227: Chapter 0204: As Long as It’s Not a Heinous Crime_2 Chapter 227: Chapter 0204: As Long as It’s Not a Heinous Crime_2 As Zhang Xiankun and Zhao Puxue were discussing how to deal with Qi Tian and Zhao Qian, both of them were seated side by side, softly conversing.

“Qi Tian, how about I arrange a meeting between you and my older brother?” Zhao Qian always had a favorable impression of Qi Tian, considering him as a promising figure who was worth pulling closer. Today, having learned that Qi Tian has already reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, she thought it would be good to let her older brother get closer to Qi Tian. If Qi Tian could become a helping hand for her older brother, his position as a Crown Prince would become more secure.

Qi Tian chuckled, saying, “Aren’t the Crown Prince and I already acquainted? There’s no need to go out of our way to do anything else. Princess, we are friends, and that’s all that matters.”

Zhao Qian understood Qi Tian’s insinuated message, realizing that as long as she could maintain a good relationship with Qi Tian, he would lend a helping hand to her side, and thus, to Zhao Putian, when needed. She understood that there was no need to forcibly push her brother and Qi Tian closer. If she were to mishandle and irritate Qi Tian, she might end up offending Qi Tian before her older brother even gets to know him, her efforts would then be in vain.

“Who knows about your entry into the Foundation Establishment Stage? Should I arrange a celebration ceremony for you? When my father advanced to the Foundation Establishment Stage, it was quite a big deal. To my knowledge, the Imperial Master Mansion had a tradition of celebrating whenever its cultivators advanced to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Even if you don’t celebrate extravagantly, it is commonplace to invite a few close friends for a small gathering,” Zhao Qian asked.

Qi Tian outright shook his head. He had no interest in these trifling matters unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, he saw them as a waste of time. Besides, in Qi Tian’s eyes, the Foundation Establishment Stage was not worth fussing over. It was like graduating from kindergarten to start elementary school, was that something worth celebrating?

Moreover, although Qi Tian didn’t mind others knowing he reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, he wouldn’t deliberately advertise it. His age was both his advantage and disadvantage. Advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage at such a young age could very easily attract the covetousness of powerhouses. If they targeted him, he would be extremely disadvantaged.

“If you don’t want a grand celebration, that’s fine. How about this, come to my place later, just us two, and I’ll celebrate for you personally. What do you think?” Zhao Qian proposed heartily.

“That’s no problem,” Qi Tian replied with a smile.

“Then let’s leave now,” Zhao Qian, knowing that Qi Tian didn’t like staying at the birthday banquet, especially with so many people there he didn’t know. She wasn’t fond of such occasions either.

Qi Tian and Zhao Qian left the Flower Hall right away, heading towards Zhao Qian’s pavilion. Born from the same mother as the Crown Prince, Zhao Putian, Zhao Qian was a legitimate daughter, and also the best practitioner among all of King Zhangbei’s, Zhao Donghao’s children. He doted on her a lot and allotted her a garden of four to five acres in the Prince Mansion, which was even larger than her older brother, Zhao Putian’s.

Zhao Qian invited Qi Tian into her boudoir. Of course, they didn’t go into her bedroom, but sat in the living room outside it. She ordered her servants to bring a table full of wine and dishes, and after dismissing them, it was just the two of them left. Zhao Qian personally poured Qi Tian a glass of wine.

After toasting Qi Tian three times, Zhao Qian finally said, “Qi Tian, I truly envy you. From our first meeting to now, it hasn’t even been a year. What was your cultivation level back then? And now, in the blink of an eye, you’ve reached Foundation Establishment. Compared to you, I feel like I’ve wasted my life.”

“Princess, don’t say that. You’re not inferior.” Qi Tian tried to comfort her.

“Initially, I used to think that I wasn’t inferior. I wouldn’t dare to make big claims about the whole Great Zhao territory, but in Zhangshui City, I, Zhao Qian, was definitely considered one of the top talents. However, ever since I went to the Imperial Master Mansion and met you, it was like I had opened a Pandora’s box. One moment a genius pops out, the next moment a remarkably capable person jumps out. Take Gao Han for example, he’s pretty good, right? Then there’s that other person…” Zhao Qian began counting off on her fingers for Qi Tian.

These thoughts had probably been bottled up in Zhao Qian’s heart for a long time. However, she could not find someone to confide in until she met Qi Tian today. A slight provocation had caused her to pour out her feelings.

After Zhao Qian finished speaking, Qi Tian said, “Princess, you’re indeed not bad. Think about it, the Little Medical Fairy is such a proud individual, yet when she was about to leave, she wanted to take you along. The last time the Little Medical Fairy went to the Lianying Realm on some errand, didn’t she only take you along? Doesn’t that prove how capable you are?”

Zhao Qian gave a bitter smile. She had already told Qi Tian that Huang Liuyan had wanted to leave with her, but because she had to help her elder brother secure the position of Crown Prince, she had given up on that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Such opportunities were hard to come by, some might not come across it even once in their lifetime. If she had seized that opportunity, she might have risen to great heights. As it stands, she might spend the rest of her life in obscurity. She might one day reach the heights of her father, Zhao Donghao, but aspiring to the Gold Core Stage was next to impossible.

Upon seeing Zhao Qian’s reaction, an idea came to Qi Tian’s mind. A flick of his hand on the Wuhang Ring and a few boxes and bottles appeared on the table. He pushed them towards Zhao Qian and said, “These are a complete set of herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pill. I was initially going to save them for my own use, but now that I’ve reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, I don’t need them anymore. Take them and try to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill, then when you reach the peak of Qi Cultivation, consume it and you might break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

Zhao Qian looked at Qi Tian in shock. Not because she was worried that Qi Tian might have tampered with the herbs, but because she never imagined Qi Tian would give her such a valuable set of materials. As she knew, some people risked their lives in dangrous places to get these herbs, and some even offered tens of millions of taels of silver for them. She had been dreaming of obtaining such a set, but due to the lack of resources and Prince Zhangbei Manor’s limited wealth, it had remained just a dream. She thought it would be impossible to ever get it, yet Qi Tian had willingly given it to her.

“Qi Tian, I really can’t accept this.” Zhao Qian quickly declined, moved beyond words. “Last time, you gave me a top-grade heavenly Wind-chasing Soul Piercing Spear and I’ve been feeling restless ever since. I still can’t think of a way to return the favor, and now you’re giving me a complete set of materials for refining Foundation Establishment Stage pills! It’s worth dozens, even hundreds of times more than the spear. There’s no way I can accept this.”

“It may be valuable in your eyes,” Qi Tian said, “But for me now, it’s useless, it won’t help me in my cultivation. But you’re different. With it, you can refine a Foundation Establishment Pill and elevate yourself to the Foundation Establishment Stage. It should be allowed to serve its purpose, rather than staying with me, eventually rotting away, becoming completely useless.”

Just as Zhao Qian was about to refuse again, Qi Tian pushed all the items in front of her again, saying, “I’m giving these to you because I consider you a friend. If you feel guilty about accepting, then when you make progress in your cultivation, you can collect another set and return it to me. Since we’re close, I won’t charge you any interest.”

With a warm feeling in her heart, Zhao Qian said, “Okay, I’ll accept them. One day, I promise to return them.”

Qi Tian stood up, saying, “It’s getting late, I should be going.”

“Qi Tian, please don’t leave. You’ve done so much for me and for the Prince Zhangbei Manor today. I would have an uneasy conscience if I didn’t do something in return. Is there something I could do for you? As long as it’s not an heinous act, I promise to do anything.” Zhao Qian’s voice was full of determination.